Sewer-form.



A. LANesToN.

SEWER FORM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

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YHE MORRIS PETFRS C0 PHOTO-LITHU.. wASHlNGroN. D l

ALPHA. LANG-STON. F STRAUGHAS, INDIANA.

SEWER'- iaamoso.

Application ledlvarch 30,

T 0 all whom. it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALPHA LANGs'rON, a citizen of the United States,residing at` Straughas, inthe county of Henry and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and 'useful Improvements in Sewer-Forms, ofwhichthe following is a specification. A l

This invention vrelates to 4forms for shaping the hollow interiors ofvconcrete culverts andv sewers, and the vobject of the, invention kis toprovide a simple and inexpensive device which can be used in connectionwith a. p trench of the required'ov'erl-all dimensions l for otherwiseshaping the product.

Fie la, *tion on the line 3-3 of. Fig. 1.

A further object of the invention, is to provide a form'which willbe-rigid and'solid for any given adjustment, but which can bereadilyfreduced in cross sectional area to loosen it from the concreteand enable it to be readily withdrawn after the concrete has becomesuilicientlyfset and firm Ito stand without the support ofthe form.

A. further vobject 'of the invention is to provide a form which can beadjusted tov different cross sectional areas to suit the desired sizeofthe drain openings...

Another object yof the invention is to yprovide a form which can bevaried from circular to elliptical shape in cross section with eitheraxis more or less shortened to suit-the space available for the product,as, where a culvert must beso close t'o the surface of a roadway that acylindrical opening of the requisite capacity would not leave `.roof-ystrength suiiicient to support its load. r IYaccomplish the above, andAother jminor objectsfwhich will` hereinafter, appear, by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which` y y Figure 1 is' aviewin side elevation and partial longitudinal section of myinvention inoperative position for the construction of a culvert, and vsurroundedwith concrete. Fig. 2 is an end View from the line 2-2 of Fig. 3 is avertical transverse sec# Fig. 4: is a view looking at the same end as inFig. 2, but with the formreduced in diameter preparatory to itswithdrawal from a finishedV culvert. l Fig. 5 is an end view of a`culvert with an elliptical? opening, and with myi-n` vention incorresponding y.position to make an opening of that character. Fig. 6shows a modified form' of diametrical brace-rod,

and Fig.` `7 is afragment walljof the Specification of Letters Patent.

FORM.

Patented Feb. 2, l1915.

1914. Seraino. 825,272. form showing the shape of the top opening.

forthe passage 'ofthe brace-rodA through 1t. Like characters ofreference indicate 'like ,parts throughoutk Lthe several views of thelMy devicey forforming the sewer or culvert opening comprisesessentially a sheet metal cylinder with an open seam extending`longitudinallythereof, with one edge of said seam lapped outside of theother, yand means tounifOrmly lessen the diameter by increasing the lapof said edges when it is desired to remove the `form from thel recentl)vmolded product, :and the inventionV also comprises means forv retaininga' given adjustmentl in diameter of the form and for bracing the form topreventbuckling or disi tortion.y f

The above-mentioned'nmetal `'cylinder 8 will preferably be formed out,of galvanized sheet ironl or better stillv sheet steel-.havingsufficient elasticity to return the cylindrical mold toa maximum normalexpansion upon release after-the cylinder has been reduced i in diameterby drawing its lapped edges together.- The length land diameter of theycylinder will var'y with the corresponding vdir nensions of the productto be made, and while I prefer, if possible,.to have the cy-v lyndricalform long enough tomold a culvert at ,one operation it is practicable to'use a shorter form and make the finished prod'- uct in two or moreoperationsv .by removing r ythe form from'thelinished part andreusing itsuccessively.Y v f `y fr The inner longitudinal edge 9 is provided witha seriesof hooks 110,* for the attachment thereto of cables-11, each.of-.which after passing under `sheaves y12, here shownI as two innumber are'wound upon a rod 13. The rod 18 extends the yentire length ofthe cylindrical form and is supported from the inner wall thereof bysuitable journals 14Cv land serves`- as a windlass common to all of'said cables, whereby `they ywill. all be simul-ltaneously woundthereon.T-he purpose of the sheaves 12 is to change the direction of pulldelivered through the ,cables to the edge il by the winding ,of theLcables upon the rod 113, Iin order that the `edge V9 may follow theopposite wall yof .the cylindrical `form as closelyjas possible.`Instead of acable 11, as shown', a chain orropeor' any other suit-rableliexible draw-linen.''may'.be-used. f 1

Algiven adjustnient'ofthe rod 13` iIlQlder to hold'` may be secured invarious Ways, and is 0bvously desirable. The rneans Whiehjlbhuveprgrfided with' ahandle 16 mold the"upper Wall the givin' p1 scoping tub1 .the rm 23; 24* end 2'5 ere" 1,127 ,oso

Q .QQ .f i I 1:5 2'; ea'slly reach'ed fram th endxnt the frm, and thesame klnd of brace-rods can vloe used .to zedy'angtiage.) Where'3wthediameter of the Workmen therein to set the inside nuts.- 70

inserted Within the form and which Xtfbrlds *75 www? tub@ 2S ,so-femm bybeiffg in then act a n scoping-tubeY-and these ypin ends 34 support ofthel lugs 29. A nut 35 on the upper screw-threaded portion of thebrace-rod ismoved dovvn against the top of the form. The bar 18 may be acontinuous one as shown in Fig. l or it may be in a plurality of shorterlengths as shown inFig. 6 tapered at their ends for convenience inWithdrawing the form from the finished product.

The operation of my invention -is as follows: In'making a culvert, forexample, a trench is dug across the roadway of just therequiredoversall' dimensions, and this forms the mold which gives theoutside shape to the concrete. A bottom slab 36 of concrete is firstformed, and as soon as it is sufficiently dry and set to stand theWeight, my cylindrical form, previously adjusted to the desired size andshape, is lowered into the trench rupon said slab 36. Concrete is thenfilled in around the form 8 in the manner shown in the drawing, thesleeves 32 being placed as the Work progresses. After the concrete hasbecome suiiciently firm the brace-rods and the sleeves 32 are removed,and then the Walls 8 of the form are contracted by Winding the cables1l. upon the rod S until the Walls of the metal form are reduced indiameter and are suiiiciently separated from the concrete to permit theform to be removed by being drawn out endwise. This is accomplished byhitching a team of horses to an end of the form by means of eyes 37provided for that purpose on the inside of the form. In practice, theform is drawn out of the finished culvert Without much difiiculty. Thebars i8 and 18 by being on the outer and under side of the form are heldin their cement channels by the Weight of the form which prevents-therotation of the Walls 8 when they are contracted by winding up thecables 11.

lli/There the culvert is so close to the top of the road-bed that thereis not room enough to make one with a cylindrical interior of sufficientcapacity, I am able, by the aid of the brace-rods and the nuts thereonto flatten the tubular form into an ellipse in cross section, of thedesired radial dimensions, in the manner shown in Fig. 5.

IVhile I have described my invention With more or less minuteness asregards details of construction and arrangement and as being embodied incertain precise forms, I do not desire to be limited thereto unduly orany more than is pointed out in the claims. On the contrary, Icontemplate all proper changes in form, construction, and arrangement,the omission of immaterial elements and the substitution of equivalents,as circumstances mayi suggest -oi rnecessity render j iency of the metalWillr spring or expandthe l sides, said body beingunder strain and having its ends lapped'at'the ybottom of the form, means for varyingthe'lap of said ends, means-'for holding the position of the outer endduringsaid variationl and means for diametrically bracing the body.

3. Ina forni'for making concrete conductors, ay one-piece sheet metalbody portion having disconnected ends, said ends being lapped at thebottom of the form, means operating on the inner end for varying the lapof said ends, means for holding the outer end during said operation andbraces passing diametrically through the body into said holding means.

4. In a Jform for making concrete conductors, a one-piece sheet metalbody portion having disconnected ends, said ends being lapped at thebottom of the form, a Windlass extending longitudinally through theinside of the body, flexible ties Wound upon the Windlass and connectedWith the inner one of said lapped ends, and means secured externally tothe outer end for holding it immovable While the inner end is moved byWinding the iexible ties on the Windlass.

5. In a form for making concrete conductors, a one-piece sheet metalbody portion having disconnected ends, said ends being lapped at thebottom of the form, a Windlass extending longitudinally through theinside of the body, flexible ties Wound upon the ivindlass and connectedwith the inner one of said lapped ends, and means com prising sheavesbetween the Windlass and said inner end of the form to sochange thedirection of said flexible ties and secure a closer relation of thelapped members.

6. In a form for making concrete conductors, a one-piece sheet metalbody portion having disconnected ends, whereby the resiliency of themetal Will spring or expand the sides, said body being under strain andhaving its ends lapped, a vvindlass extending longitudinally of andinside of the body, flexible ties Wound upon the Windlass and connectedon the inner one of said ends, sheaves between the Windlass and theinner end ofthe form to change the direction of hayini for locking agiven position of the Windlas.

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tOl/S. One-.Pie SHQet/'metal body portion.

alim I holes',l andlineuns on sagl fool Vto hold diamenriwlly OppQSit@MDS. 01? 'said metal.

t0n wall df. the metal fbQdy adapted t@v be.

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7 A PHA@ [Lsg an yhe Qhtainelvr. Hx@ cents eaclmx addresng'tlievCommissioner, q@ gamma.

